1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data backup system, a data backup program, a data restoration processing system and a data restoration processing program, which are used for changing setting of an image forming apparatus, or for restoring setting to its previous setting in a system for administering a state of usage of an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
In image forming apparatuses, such as MFPs (Multi Function Peripherals: multifunctional digital copying machine) or printers, shared by a plurality of users, an image forming apparatus capable of administering the number of copies made by or the number of prints used by each user or department to which the user belongs is know by, for example, Japanese Unexamined laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 2000-163352 and 2003-216395. In the image forming apparatus, it is configured such that user names and/or department names are registered and an authorization code is given to each user and/or department and the total member of usage (accounting information) of each user and/or department can be stored by obtaining authentication at the time of the usage in order to manage the number of copies made by and the number of prints used by each user and/or each department to which the user belongs.
By the way, in such image forming apparatus, it is sometimes required to change once registered user/department registrations in accordance with an increase and decrease of users or reorganization of a department.
In particular, in image forming apparatuses, in order to store the accumulation number of usage of each user or department, the memory capacity has to be large, while the memorizable storage area is limited.
In the meantime, user or department registration changing operations may sometimes result in failure during the registration changing operations. Furthermore, an administrator may sometimes wish to restore contents of the changed setting to the contents of the previous setting. In such cases, it is necessary to immediately restore the changed contents on users or departments or the state of usage of the image forming apparatus to its previous contents or states. However, there was no proposal regarding such restoration.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.